jpkulusic

Hello everyone,
I'm a college student and I work full time doing accounting work, so I spend a lot of time reading books and doing paperwork. I've been thinking for a while that I need to start getting out and doing things outside more. I remembered I used to ride a bike as a kid growing up for hours upon hours everyday seven days a week, and started thinking to myself that getting a bike would be the answer.

I just recently purchased a hybrid bike (Felt f75X), and have been getting in progressively longer rides. I'm to the point where I'm able to get in 80+ mile trips, but they are trips that are forty miles in one direction and forty back. I'm ready to start going on longer over night trips, but up till now I haven't been carrying much aside from a small pouch on the back of my bike with a spare tire and a water bottle.

I'm wondering if anyone could help me out with finding a bike rack off amazon and providing me with some insight as to some necessary light weight stuff that I may need. I'm not sure if there are different bike racks that fit on the back of a bike for different types of bikes (or sizes of bikes)? So I was hoping for some advice as to how to pick the one that will be right for me and will fit my bike (Felt f75X). I don't know too much about this type of thing since I'm just getting back into biking, but I'm assuming that racks also have different sizes, weights, and centers of gravity, etc.?

As far as what I will be putting on it, I was thinking about maybe a getting a hammock tent, my bag with camera gear (size of a backpack), small pouch with some extra inner tubes and patches, and maybe something else that I haven't anticipated. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Little Darwin

You might want to try the touring forum for rack advice, the readers/posters there know more about racks.

Generally, there are 2 types of racks "mountain" for 26" wheels and those built for 700c wheels/tires.

I like the Jannd Expedition rear rack because it has a nice wide platform and holds the trunk bag very securely that I carry most of the time.

One thing to consider is if you decide to use panniers you need a combination of chain stay length and rack positioning to make sure that you don't hit the panniers with your heel each time you pedal (heel strike).

jpkulusic

Thanks Little Darwin. I have 700c tires, so I'll start looking at those racks. I'm also looking up Jannd Expedition rear racks. As of now I don't plan on using panniers, I think I will just be able to put everything on top of the rack. I will try going to the touring forum.

Thanks again

Little Darwin

I think the Expedition rack (or another rack with a large platform) would be especially appropriate if you plan to only use the top of the rack, since it will allow more stability with your cargo. Depending on how you plan to use it, I have been pleased with the hold of a cargo net to hold everything pretty securely. I also like using my Jandd Rack Pack 2, which is expandable, and holds quite a bit.